Productivity costs of cardiovascular disease mortality across disease types and socioeconomic groups

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the single largest contributor to global mortality. Premature mortality due to CVD results in a loss of productivity, with associated economic and policy implications that are often overlooked.

Methods: A human capital approach was adopted to project the long-term impacts of Australian CVD deaths in 2003 on labour force participation and the present value of lifetime income (PVLI) forgone. Impacts were modelled to the year 2030 and accounted for individual characteristics at the time of death including age, sex and socioeconomic status.

Results: Premature deaths due to CVD in 2003 accounted for 51 659 working years and $2.69 billion in PVLI forgone when modelled to 2030 (95% CI $2.63 billion to $2.75 billion). The labour force impacts were highest for individuals aged between 35 and 64 at the time of death, and male deaths accounted for 87% of the total PVLI loss. The most costly disease type was ischaemic heart disease, followed by stroke and inflammatory heart disease. Deaths occurring in individuals residing in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas at the time of death had a disproportionately large impact on the total PVLI loss.

Conclusions: This study quantifies the relative productivity costs of CVD mortality across a range of disease types and socioeconomic groups. The magnitude of these costs highlights the scope for investments in effective healthcare interventions to provide positive economic returns and may assist decision makers in allocating resources among competing priorities.

Keywords: heart failure; hypertensive heart disease; myocardial ischaemia and infarction (IHD); peripheral vascular disease; public health.

Figure 1

Working years forgone due to premature mortality from cardiovascular disease in 2003, modelled to the year 2030. Blue bar, males; orange bar, females.

Figure 2

Present value of lifetime income lost due to premature mortality: distribution across SEIFA quintiles and age categories. Age categories from bottom to top: 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-80. PVLI, present value of lifetime income; SEIFA, socioeconomic index for areas.